Cleveland Mayor Issues Apology To Tamir Rice’s Family For Ambulance Fee

News broke earlier this week that the city of Cleveland planned to charge Tamir Rice’s family with a $500 ambulance bill. The controversial headline received a response from Tamir’s family and supporters. Now, the matter has prompted a statement from the city’s Mayor Frank Jackson.

In a NBC News report, Jackson said during a press conference, “I want to start off again apologizing to the Rice family if this, in fact, has added to any grief or pain that they may have.”

In another statement issued by the city’s finance director, Sharon Dumas, Tamir’s family never received a bill for the medical occurrence and the city never planned on activating that fee. But according to Cleveland’s chief corporate counsel, Richard Horvath, the ambulance fee was issued to the family as part of a mandated regimen.

Jackson spoke on that matter, adding, “Because of that process being routine, none of the managers were notified of this before it was filed.” Those managers in question also include other “city leaders” NBC states. Jackson later said, “It was a mistake of us not flagging it, but it was not a mistake in terms of the legal process.”

A case is still pending after Tamir’s mother, Samaria Rice, filed a lawsuit against the city of Cleveland and the officers involved in the 911 call that led to her son’s death.